I Told You So
by Psalm 136
Summary: Apparently, both Glorfindel and Erestor have a problem with working. AU, no slash
1. Glorfindel

_Dedicated to Nieirel Raina and her obsession with everyone's favorite Balrog Slayer._

The sky was angry. Gray, rolling storm clouds clustered over the elven haven of Rivendell. Great, fat droplets of rain fell down in heavy sheet sand thunder boomed with unrestrained fury as lightning flashed with unprecedented force. The gardens were seas of mud with the occasional bunch of wilted flowers swimming about. A great howling erupted in the already stormy night as the wind's rage was incurred. Young saplings were bent almost double as the unseen hands pushed them with great force. All doors in Imladris were closed and every elf (and mortal) were gathered in the Hall of Fire for singing before it was time to retire. Well, almost every elf.

Glorfindel, seneschal of Lord Elrond, famed Balrog Slayer, was locked in his study. A goblet of water sat unnoticed by his right hand that scribbled busily on a trade agreement. His dark eyes were fixed on his work and all of his focus was on finishing that he did not even realize that his golden hair had long since fallen out of its braids and was falling down his back. It was likely he would not even realize if the candles that illuminated his work went out. It was his duty to lighten his lord's load and he was bent on it.

His hand cramped slightly and he put down his pen to massage his hand. It was time he took a break anyway. He ran his other hand through his flawless hair and sighed. He stood up and stretched, walking around his study. His legs cried out for a long run or some form of exercise. Anything but sitting in that chair that was becoming more uncomfortable by the minute. His mind retorted angrily, speaking of duty and responsibility to his own body's desires. Glorfindel looked with loathing at the chair, before sitting down once more. He let out a sigh and got back to work. He slowly worded his next sentence, not wanting to make one mistake and somehow dishonor Lord Elrond.

There came a knock at his door and the elf looked up. "Enter." He bid his guest. The door opened to reveal Lord Elrond, dressed in casual blue robes. "Oh, milord, I am nearly done with the trade agreement." He trailed off, seeing the almost annoyed look on his lord's face. "Have I done something to displease you?"

Elrond shook his head, a small smile coming to his ageless face. "Nay, Glorfindel, peace." He paced about the room momentarily, before turning his attention back to his favorite of all his advisors. "You must not worry so. I have not known you to miss an episode of Elladan and Elrohir attempting to sing a duet. Is anything wrong, mellon nin?" He inquired gently, his healer's instincts taking over.

"Nay, of course not." Glorfindel suddenly wished he had been there. Seeing the twins sing a duet that should have been sung by a male and a female was always most entertaining and he had missed it. He quelled the emotion, reminding himself of duty. "I have been slacking off on my duties, milord, and it would not be right of me to take a break simply for entertainment." He explained, glancing back at the trade agreement.

"Glorfindel, I fear what this new zeal for duty might do to you. It is not healthy, which you know well. Come with me and assist me in tucking Estel into bed; he was most worried when you did not show up for supper." Elrond's eye held a curious twinkle, one that seemed knowing of how this would affect the Balrog Slayer.

"Oh." Glorfindel was dumbfounded for a second, before regaining himself. "I really shouldn't. I must start the preparations for the meeting when Thranduil and his sons arrive to discuss border defenses and such." He suddenly remembered the Mirkwood royal family would be arriving the very next day. He was struck with a bout of guilt and he made to start writing up notes when Elrond stopped him with a kind hand.

"Glorfindel, rest. I beg this of you as your friend. I do not wish to confine you to your bed, but if it is necessary…" Elrond trailed off, leaving room for imagination.

"Nay, I shall go to my quarters." Glorfindel followed Elrond out into the hallway and bid his lord farewell, before quietly entering his study again. He'd get some rest later, but those notes really did need to get finished.

Elrond, of course, was not to be taken lightly and took a short detour from Estel's bedroom. He walked into Elladan's room and found both twins there. "Elladan, Elrohir, I need you to do something for me…"

Glorfindel rushed into his personal chambers and threw on his formal robes over his casual white shirt and black breeches. He dragged a comb through his still-perfect locks and braided them into warrior braids with deft fingers. He surveyed his reflection before sprinting into the hallway and outside. He took a deep breath and turned the corner, seeing all three of Elrond's sons present already. He smiled at Estel who bounded towards him and threw his arms around his "Uncle Glorfy".

"Mae govannan, tithen-pen." Glorfindel greeted with a grin. He pulled out a small chocolate that he stashed into the pockets of all his formal robes and gave it to Estel who quickly popped it into his mouth as Elrond returned.

"Ah, Glorfindel. I was searching for you."

"I see you found me." The Balrog Slayer grinned. "What was your purpose in finding me?"

"I just wanted to make sure the trade agreement and notes were done." Elrond said smoothly.

"Ah, yes, I finished them last night. And then I rested." He emphasized 'rested', when it wasn't exactly true. If sitting back in one's chair and brainstorming ideas for the meeting was indeed rest, then he wasn't lying. But he didn't think it counted.

"Indeed." Elrond's lecture was stopped before it even started with the front guards of Thranduil's procession entered Imladris. The king and his sons dismounted their horses and stable hands rushed to take the reins from them.

"Ah, Elrond, may the stars shine on the hour of our reunion." Thranduil said, approaching the dark-haired lord of Imladris. He looked over his shoulder at Legolas and Valandil, his two eldest sons who were grinning like devils at Elladan, Elrohir and Estel. "You may go." He said with mirth in his voice.

The young elves all dashed off, followed by Estel who was still learning to use his quickly growing feet. At six years old, he was not one to keep up with the lanky elves, but as always, Elrohir had returned to pick up his brother and then dashed off to follow his brother and friends. Elrond and Thranduil smiled after their sons and then entered the Last Homely House, followed by Glorfindel, Erestor and the several advisors Thranduil had brought with him.

Moments later, Elrond looked at Glorfindel. "Ah, Glorfindel, would you be so kind as to retrieve my notes from my study? They are on my desk." He requested, and Glorfindel nodded.

"Of course. Excuse me." He nodded and walked back into the main hallway, only to be tackled by four elves. "What!" He exclaimed in indignation.

"Just us, Glorfy." Estel intoned, looking up at the blonde elf. "Come on, Legolas!" The young mortal marched off to the nearest guest room, opening the door for Glorfindel and his captors.

"What is the meaning of this! I will be speaking with your fathers about this!" Glorfindel huffed as Elladan and Elrohir made quick work of locking the door.

"Oh, enjoy yourself. It was actually our father who proposed this to us." Elladan began.

"And we think you're overworking yourself." Elrohir continued.

"Actually, he thinks you are, and we agree."

"Because you're not relaxing!" Estel piped up.

"Exactly." Legolas took up the explanation. "So this is our way of getting you to relax. You're staying in here for the entire meeting."

"For the entire meeting." Valandil nodded. "And you will not hear of what transpired, either."

Glorfindel stared at the other elves and the small mortal. "What?" He cleared his throat. "I don't quite understand."

"Neither do we." Elladan said. "Ada just told us to lock you in here and he would come in and talk to you."

All of the sons of Elrond burst into laughter.

"Have fun!" Elrohir called merrily over his shoulder as he locked the door behind him.

Glorfindel glared at the closed door and sat down at the desk in the room. He stared at the wall, losing himself in his thoughts. Though he had many thoughts and could easily be entertained by them, he would never be able to thoroughly express how happy he was when he heard the lock click open and Lord Elrond stepped through. Lord Elrond was happy he was no Balrog when he saw the murderous look in his advisor's eyes.

"What is the meaning of this?" He demanded.

Lord Elrond smiled patiently. "I had my sons do this because you were working yourself to the brink. You are only focused on work, work, work and it is not healthy for you. You will overwork yourself and you will become ill. And you know our kind only become ill when injured. In the same way, you will." Elrond adopted the look he did when speaking prophetic words. "I don't want to have to tell you that I told you so."

Glorfindel brushed off his words. "Worry not, my friend, I am fine."

Glorfindel was at his desk in his study, as usual. He was writing out his notes for the next meeting which would have to do with some humans requesting elven help for a fire had recently destroyed almost everything in the village. He was reviewing the plea written by the leader of the village and writing down all possibilities of a solution. Suddenly, a headache throbbed through his entire skull. He ignored it, took a small sip of wine and continued. It persisted, however, until he put down his pen and started to walk to his balcony when his head started to swim.

"Ai." Glorfindel mumbled before collapsing after working for almost two straight weeks without sleeping, which was a lot, even for an elf. If one listened, one could hear a thousand dwarves laughing uproariously at the proof that elves were not as perfect as they claimed to be.

That was where little Estel found him an hour later. Estel had entered Glorfindel's study to give him a drawing he had made of the Balrog Slayer and he promptly burst into tears, which Elrond heard whilst on his way to the gardens for a relaxing walk. He ran towards the sound of his son's distress and let out a sigh. He sent Estel to his room and carried his friend to the healing quarters. He instructed a healer to make Glorfindel drink a sleeping draught. That elf would be out for at least a day; he needed the sleep and the draught would match whatever his body needed.

Glorfindel's eyes opened to see it was early in the morning and he was in the healing ward. He sat up and looked around, confused, only to find Elrond standing in the corner, smirking.

"I told you so."


	2. Erestor

_I couldn't help myself. This chapter is rather silly, I think._

The sun was shining that day, bleeding through the eaves of the trees of the forests surrounding the elven haven of Imladris. There was not a light breeze in the air and it was quite uncomfortable for the human villages within the general vicinity, but not for the elves. The grass, green and free from the dew that collected on it every morning, was the site of the usual elven summer games. The training grounds were being used for the various sparring tournaments and the archery targets were home to the many arrows being shot by the contestants, in preparation for the tournament later that day. It was half past noon and lunch was being served on picnic blankets for the community to feast together on the early summer strawberries with cream.

Estel was six years old, and being old enough to count his age with both hands, he deemed himself old enough to eat as many strawberries as he wanted. With as much cream as he wanted, as well. This did not end well. His fingers were sticky with the juice and he had a face full of cream. His eyes were probably the only untouched spots. He was inhaling cream and coughing as he fought to wipe it away. Someone with a wet handkerchief caught him and his face was wiped clean.

Estel looked up and smiled innocently at his eldest brother, Elladan. "Thanks!" He chirped. "I think I feel sick." He complained, rubbing his stomach.

Elladan grinned. "I suppose you do. I don't think we have a strawberry left in Imladris, Estel!" He chided gently, ruffling his brother's hair. "Now go inside and get Erestor."

"But!"

Elladan gave him a look. This look was no ordinary look. Elladan had the frightening talent of imitating their father perfectly and could duplicate his 'no-nonsense' look. Estel was immediately quieted and he bounded inside the cool halls of his home to find the advisor. Now, Estel, being only six, had not yet mastered the rule of thumb that you knock politely before entering of a room. He learned early on that one always knocked, but being six years old and impatient, it was the polite part he was working on.

Estel pounded on the advisor's door loudly. "C'mon Erestor! Everyone's waiting!" He called boisterously.

Erestor answered the door with a bored look on his face. He had been glancing out the window all day, itching to leave his study and have a day of relaxation, but they had been dealing with pleas from the nearby human villages and even though he didn't understand what the need truly was, he felt obligated to finish it so Lord Elrond would not have to deal with it after a day such as the one they were experiencing. He looked down at the tiny boy of almost seven years and sighed.

"I'm busy, Estel, go out and play." Erestor reached down and wiped the speck of cream that Elladan had missed.

"But they all want you to be out there TOO!" Estel whined. "And Elladan made me come get you and he gave me Ada's look. Again." He stomped his foot. "Just come on!"

Erestor, like Elladan, could imitate Elrond's look. Estel turned around and left to go back outside and play with his brothers. Estel sighed and kicked at the grass. After two of his Ada's famous looks (and they weren't even coming from Ada himself!), he was a bit dejected, not that he knew what that word meant. He walked across the lawn to where his brothers were sprawled out under the sun.

"Where's Erestor?" Elrohir asked, looking up at his brother.

"Inside."

"Why?" Elladan couldn't imagine why anyone, even stuffy old Erestor, would want to be locked inside on a day like that.

"Busy."

"Again?" Elrohir whined. "He's so boring! Even he should be outside!"

"I agree, my brother. But… are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Elladan acquired his natural mischievous look that Estel knew meant only bad things would follow.

"I think I am, my good brother. Does it involve lots of cream, Erestor and some of that sticky wine I was sampling earlier?" Elrohir asked, sitting up and duplicating his brother's look.

"What are you going to do?" Estel asked, getting excited.

"I believe it does."

"What are you going to do?"

"Shall one of us entice him away while the other implements this brilliant plan?"

"What are you going to do?"

"I believe that shall work well. How about I make up a problem he can help me fix and then I'll bring him back after you've given me the signal?"

"That shall work."

"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO!"

Elladan and Elrohir winced. "Not so loud, little brother." They said in unison.

"Its weird when you two do that!"

ooo

Erestor looked up when another knock resounded upon his study door. He got up and discarded his robe, finding it far too warm to be wearing something like that. He stretched and opened the door. He found Elrohir standing there, looking rather worried. His natural instincts warned him of possible danger, but he ignored them.

"What is it, Elrohir?" Erestor asked, his tone truly of a stressed advisor.

"Well, I was planning on singing this song with Mireth, that pretty elleth I've been spending time with, but I can't find the lyrics and she was so excited that we were going to sing!" He said all in one, large breath and Erestor felt sympathy for the young one.

"Come, what song was it?"

"The Lay of Luthien." Elrohir replied.

Erestor put a hand on Elrohir' shoulder. "Come, I know exactly where I keep the books of songs in the library."

Elrohir glanced over his shoulder at Elladan and Estel who were sneaking into Erestor's study as he, the younger twin, and Erestor walked off to the library.

Estel put both of his hands over his mouth to stop the giggles that threatened to overcome him as he realized how big and monstrous of a plan they were putting into action. They were all sure to get huge punishments (months of work in the stables and kitchens at the very least) if they were caught, but Estel realized that was what was so great about having Elladan and Elrohir as his brothers. Everyone knew the twins performed every prank and joke in Imladris, yet no one could ever find enough evidence to pin them to the act. Elladan gave his brother a warning look as they entered the study. Estel put his basket of strawberries down onto the ground and took the paper Erestor had been working on. He grinned as he squished strawberries onto it.

Elladan, however, was being entertained by his favorite part of the prank- the cream. He took a handful of it from the cauldron it had been made in and smeared it all over the desk. He opened up the closet of robes and extra tunics the advisor kept in there in case he worked all through the night and needed to change quickly for a meeting or greeting and grinned like a wolf, its jaws slobbering, waiting for its prey. He took an armful and tossed it all the clothes. Closing the closet with much gratification, he turned around.

"Estel, come help me with this." Elladan ordered.

"What are we doing?" Estel asked innocently.

"Put the cream on everything, except… well, nothing."

ooo

Erestor watched Elrohir bound out of the library with the book of lays that they had discovered in the dustiest corner of the library. Erestor sighed with a small shake of his head. That was strange. He had thought he kept that one in the front, since Lindir was a frequent comer in the library and loved to find new lays and new lyrics to put to the harp he was so skilled with. The advisor sighed and slowly continued his journey back to his study. The door was closed, and he was immediately on alert. But when he opened the door, nothing fell on it. He didn't step into anything and nothing came to hit him. It was what was in the room that horrified him.

Everything was covered in cream and strawberries. The paper he had been working on was covered in scribbles and strawberries and everything, literally everything, had cream on it. Even his chair had cream on it. He knew who the culprit was instantaneously, because the perpetrator had left him a note on his desk.

The note read:

_This is what you get for staying inside when it's such a nice day. Come out or you'll find more of this same treatment to the rest of your chambers._

Erestor exited the Last Homely House, his hair unbound and free, and went up to Elladan and Elrohir who were playing with their little brother innocently.

"I'll be talking with your father about this."

Elladan glared at Elrohir. "You told me he'd be happy about it!"

"Are you really that stupid, Elladan?" Elrohir taunted.

"Yes! Yes!" Estel whispered loudly.


End file.
